BBC news:-
Russia is aiming to take full control of southern Ukraine as well as the eastern Donbas region, a senior Russian commander says.
Maj Gen Rustam Minnekayev was quoted in state media as saying that goal would allow Moscow to form a land bridge to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
He also said it would give Moscow access to the Russian-backed separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova.
Transnistria is a small region that borders Ukraine.
It is unclear if Gen Minnekayev’s comments were officially sanctioned by the Kremlin, but they were widely cited in Russian state media including the Interfax and Tass news agencies.
Russian defence officials told the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg that they were “looking into” the general’s comments, which – if confirmed – offer the first insight into Russia’s potential plans in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, a senior EU official told Reuters that Russia is likely to intensify its attacks in eastern Ukraine and along the southern coast in the coming days, adding that the next two weeks may be decisive in the war.
Moldova has summoned Moscow’s ambassador over the comments, which its foreign ministry described as “deeply concerning”.
